Motor for player pianos



FILED MARl I5, i922.

MMI

ilIHl Patented Feb. 20, 1923.

filtert-s3 WALTER W. wnrsnn, or carcasa, .ann eUsTnr a; Fonsnnne,ornamento, imprimis.y

MOTOR FOR PLAYER PIANO.'

Appncation aied March i5, 1922. serial No] 543,897.y

To all 207mm it may concern.'

Be it known that we, YVALTER lV. -Wnrsnn and GUs'rAF A. Fonsnne,citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Chicago andCicero, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, having jointlyinvented certain new and 'useful Improvements in Motors for PlayerPianos, do hereby declare that. the following is a. full, clear, andexact description of the same.

ln the accompanying drawings, which illustrate embodiments ofthe severalfeatures of our invention, Fig. l is a'perspective view-"- in elevationwithcertain partsvinsection; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View with the shelfomitted for clearness of illustration; Fig. is a transverse verticalsectional view on the line 8-3 in Fig. l; Fig. 4- is a similar view onthe line t-t in Fig. l with lthe vchannel i board shown partly insection and partly in elevation for clearness of illustration; Fig. 5 isa. detail vertical sectional view on the line 55 in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 isarvdetail sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 7 taken through therotating valve; Fig. 7 is a detail view in elevation of the inner orported face of the valve, and Fig. 8 is a view in side eleva-tion of thecenter-bar.

Our invention relates to various features `of vacuum motors for`operating the usual transmission for the forward and rear drive of thetake-up spool and the feed-,roll chucks respectively to roll and rerolltheimusicv sheets in player-pianos; its primary object is six-pointmotor by a single valve, a. furt er object being to providepush-connections between the motor shaft and all the motor pneumatics,and other objects and advantages being apparent from the disclosure ofthe invention.A

In the drawings the reference letter A ine dicatcs the usual spool-boxshelf in the. piano case upon which4 the motor is customarily in whichthe take-up. spool and the feed-roll chucks are mounted with the usualtransmission (not shown) to which motion is imparted from the crankshaftB of the motor by the joint Z2 to roll the music sheet forward on thespool and re-roll it on its roll between the chucks. it being understoodthat the crankshaft of the motor turns lalways in the same direction andthat the. direction of to pro-vide an organization for operatino aymounted adjacent the spoohbox (not shown) movement of the music sheet isgoverned by the shiftingiof the transmission bythe usual re-roll` lever.f 4 rlhe motor frame comprises the v,opposite standard C andchannel-board D vwith the u center-bar E between thelmthese parts' be'-ing rigidly iconnectedl by lsuitable tiesrods e and fastened vto theshelf A by screws passing through a` foot-piece 'c onV the standard andalateral bloclrD on the channel-board. The standard andV block arefprovided with bearings having packing-glands for the Shaft B that.' HtheblOCk being covered. byy I a closure cap D2 screwed theretoto preventair leakageV therethrough. yTl'ie channelboard-'1s providedonits innerface with al circular valve-seat D3, and a horizontal eX- board .and itsblock co-axially with the shaft B and communicates with'a verticalchannel D5 in thewbloek with whichone end-of the motor-exhaust tube DG-conn'ects, itsfother Jlnd being` connected inthe usual manner tolshown). e f The center-bar E carries six vbellows F, G, H, K, M, and N,forming the motor pn'eu'- i matics, Vand arranged in opposite-pairs,land whose power is applied atthree points tol the crankfshaft. Thecenter-bar E is provided with siX longitudinal air-channels'F, G, H', K,M and N, all of the saine length and disposed in vertical alinement yoneabove" the other,v and respectivelyy cornifnunicatingvv by lateral portsf, g, Inl/c, m, and n-with the' bellowsor pneumaticsF, G, H,`K,M

F, G and H opening through the 'fro-nt side of the center-piece, andthe" three vports for foot-operated exhaust bellows (not 1 haust-channelD4 extendsthrough the ceni ter of this seat and through the channelrandN, the three ports forl the front bellows lows so 4.that any one of themwhen mounted x on the center-bar will communicate withany j rthe rearwall of'each'bellows that isattached v f f of the lateral ports, and forthis ipurpose to the bar'vE is provided withv anvelongated slot, asindicated at x in Fig. 3, which is of sufficient length `to extendacross the row'fof y air-channels and register with any of the lateralports, so that Ain.assembling the bellows onuthe bar E it 1s notnecessary to select any particular one for any particular port, as theslot in each will co-operate with any port. channel-board is provided g.or

haustingY air to with six curved air-channels f, g, 7L, 7c', m', and n,respectively con'imunicating` with the outer or open ends of thehorizontal airchannels lll, G, H', K, M and N as shown in Fig. 4f, andarranged in two sets of three each on opposite sides et the median lineot the bleek in which the bar .E is centered7 the channels ot thebellowsot each pair being` on opposite sides or' this line. The lowerends oit the channels in the board D are grouped in a circle whosecenter is coincident with the axis ot the exhaust-channel D4 and whosediameter is less than that of the val ve-seat D3, and are providedrespectively with inwardly directed lateral ports or openings g2, 71,2,7c7 m2, and u?, extending` through the if'alye-seat and terminating inthe same vertical plane at its 'liront tace. rllhese ports are spacedapart equally and concentrieally with the exhaust-channel D4, y

and are arranged in opposite pairs correspendingwith the pairings oftheir associa-ted bellows. The communicating; airchannels in thecenter-bar and channel-board with theinrespectiye ports aordair-passagres between the motor pneumatics and the single valve-seat. iy

A rotary valve 0 for admitting and eX- and 'from the `motor pneumaticsis connected to the shaft by a setcollar 0 on the shaft and carrying' anangular arm o which engages in a slot 02 in the body ot the'yalve sothat it rotates in unison with the shaft. The valve is formed by a blockwhich. is cup-shaped in cross-sectional contour and its rim is ot' thesaine diameter as the seat D3 against which it snugly but revolubly heldby a light spring` 03 coiled around the shaft and reacting between thexed collar o and the head ot the valve, which latter is provided with apassage for the shaft B having a suitable packing;` gland to prevent airleakage, the shatt being` held against longitudinal displacement by thecollar 0 and a set-collar 7) on its other end abutting against thestandard C. The valvetaces O are flush with the riin of the valve and ondiametrically opposite sides of its centen and act to successively closethe opposite pairs of lateral ports ot the yalveseat as the valve isrotated. rThe interior of port or chamber the valve is provided with amotor exhaust 02 which is recessed into its body and is substantiallysectorshaped in outline with more or less curved or rounded sides; itsinner or base portion is at the center ot' the valve in registry withthe open end of the exhaust-channel D4E in the block D and itsperipheral or outer portion is flared oireumferentially and ofsufficient area to register with any adjacent pair ot the bellows portsf2, g2, 71,2, 702, m2 and u? oit the yalveseat to exhaust the air fromthe corresponding bellows. .The valve is also provided with an airingress or Supply Port 0 nir/rases by which outside airis admitted tothe motor pneumatics; this port passes through the portion of thevalve-body which is on the side of the valif'e-taces opposite to theexhaust-port O2, and is separated from the latter port by an extension04 of the valvelaces. The supply port O3 extends circumfterentially toregister with any adjacent pair or the bellows ports oi? the yalve-seatto ad mit outside air to the corresporidingL bellows; in practice theouter end ot' this inlet port 03 is divided by a portion ot thevalve-head extending across its center to strengthen the structure ofthe valve. The yalve rotates in the direction of the arrows7 and itsports are so proportioned and related to the bellows ports ot' its seatthat when the exhaust chamber U2 registers with any adjacent pair outthese ports, as g2 and n2 in the position o1!" the valve shown in Fig'.3, to create parti al vacuum in the L;orresponding` bellowsq asin thisfigure in the bellows and N.; the air ingress or supply port O3 willregister with the two seat-ports corresponding to the opposite bellows,as here 7b2 and m? to supply7 outside air to the lbellows lil and M, andthe valve-seats 0 will close the remaining' bel f lows ports ot theseat, as here shown f2 and 71:2 to shut off the bellows F and l@ so thatthere is no leakage ot air. As the valve rotates theair is exhaustedfrom one oi' each pair ot bellows and enters theother as thevalve-'races begin to uncover the bellows.

ports in the valve-seat corresponding to that particular pair. Each pairof bellows is connected to a crank of the sha-tt. there being apart orat equal Iangles of 1200, and thus a Very uniform turning,` stress yorforce on the shaft is obtained; at each halt revolution ot any crank onebellows of its pair is collapsed by the outside air pressure andat thethree cranks arranged one-third of a circle y next halt revolution theother bellows of its pair is collapsed by similar pressure. The singlevalve servesboth the trontand rear sets oit pneumatics ot the six-pointmotor. and is timed so that its opposite faces O will close theseat-ports of each pair ot pneumatics when the crank of: that pair is onits dead center, and its exhaust and supply ports will synchronouslyregister respectively with the opposite pairs ot seat-ports the shaft.and is admitted through its supF ply port O3 to the other two pneumaticsot the other pairs to errpand them 'synchro no'uslyg Thus the suctionthrough the single porty O2 simultaneously exhausts two pneu- Inatics otthe opposite sets to allow them to collapse under the pressure of theoutside air, and so two pneumatics act at all times to turn the shaft.As all the channels in the center-bar E are of thesame length the saineamount of energy orpower isrequired on alternate sides to create thevacuum in the several pneumatics. rEhe torque established on the shaftis smooth and powerful. i f

rlhe moving walls of the bellows are connected to theshatt by open-endlinkage l, this wall o1 each bellows carries adepending loop f3, f3,las, 7c3, m3 and at, respectively, and a link l is interposed betweeneach. loop and its opposite crank on the sha't, being provided withopen-end slots p at its ends which receive the opposed loop and crank.By this construction the stress ot the shaft on each bellows to expandit and the stress of all the bellows on the shaft when they collapsetoturn it is applied by push; in short all links are of the pushtypeonly, so that there is no play between the parts and the operation ofthe motor noiseless. The opposite bellows of each pair are connected bya contractile spring S suitably attached bv eyes s to their movingwalls, which tends td draw these walls toward each other and keep theopposed bellows-loops and cranks of the shaft seated in the bases of theslots o't their links to take upv wear and eliminate all lost'motion orplay. There being three vsprings associated with the three cranks ot'the shaft when one spring begins to be extended the other two begin tocontract so that the spring action or opposition to the rotation o'l theshaft by the collapse of thel bellows is balanced or neutralized;

When the :toot-pedals are operated to produce vacuum in the equalizersin the usual manner, air will be sucked through the exhaust tube D fromthe motor pneumatics or bellows whose valve-seat ports are in registerwith the exhaust chamber of the valve, and outside air will iow into theopposite pneumatics through the air ingress port o1c the valve, whilethe other pair of pneuinatics will be sealed by the valve-faces closingtheir seat-ports. The six bellows will thus successively collapse andexpand through the function ot' a single valve admitting and exhaustingair to and from them to turn the crank-shaft to drive the transmission,which according to its position operates either the take-up spool or theyreed-roll chucks to roll or reroll the music sheet. f

We claim:

l. In a device of the class described, avacuum motor comprising a frame,six bellows arranged in opposite pairs on. the frame, air-channels inthe frame communicating with the bellows and terminating` in portsarranged in the same plane, a crankshaft connected t0 the bellows, and asinglevvalve on the shaft constructed to .close the ports of any pairotbellows and to govern the air exhaust and ingress of the other pairseiibellows. i

2. in a device el" theclass described, a vacuum motor comprising aframe, having an exhaust passage, six bellows arranged in opposite pairson the iframe air-channels in the frame communicatingwith.thebellows andterminating in ports `arranged in the. saine plane and spaced around'theexha st passage, a crank-shaft connectedto theoe'llows, and a singlevalvecn the shaft havin valve-faces const-ructedfto.close the portsolfrv any pair of bellows and havingexhaust und suction portsconstructed to govern the air exhaust and ingress 'of the vother`bellows.

3. In a device ol the classdescribed, a

vacuum motor comprising valve-seat aroif'ided vf' passage and six portsarranged in opposite pairs around vthey passage, 'six l' ellows ar:-

a frame having a ranged in opposite pairs on the ',trame,tairv:necommunicating with channels in the .t the bellows' and with the ports,crankshaft havingl thi-ee cranks, connections betit-een each pair ofbellows and a crank, and

a single valveon the shaft constructed with opposite valve-tace-sto-rclosej the opposite portsojt any pair of bellows and with exhaustandsuction ports on opposite sices `c the-valve-taces to govern theexhaust and ingress of air from and to 'the other pairs of bellows. v s

4l. ln a device ot' the class'descrilied` a motor trame comprising acenter-bar having a plurality of superposed channels of equal length andlateral ports thereforv on its front4 and rear faces, front and rearsets et bellows on the bar arranged in three oppositev the bellows andterminating in lateral portsarranged in opposite pairs around theexhaust passage, a shatt having a crank connected-to each pair otbellows, and a single valve on the shaft. having opposite valve-- facesconstructed to close an opposite pair oit ports and having exhaust'ports each constructed to register with an adjacent pair f of ports.

6. In a device of the class described, a

frame comprising a longitudinal center-bar pairs of a' central exhaustand supply y I sage and lateral ports for the and a verticalchannel-board having sir; registering air-channels, bellows on the barin connnunication with 'the channels therein, the channel-board havingexhaust pas-- airchannels disposed around the exhaust in opposite pairs,a crank-Shait connected to the bellows, and a single valve on the shafthaving opposite valve-faces constructed to close an opposite pair ofports and having eXhaust andA supply ports on opposite sides otitevalve-faces, each oit said ports extending cii'cuniicerentially olf terwith an adjacent pair or ports.

7. ln a device ofthe class described, motor frame comprising acenter-bar having a plurality oi superposed horizontal air-channels andlateral ports therefor in its front and rear faces, and bellows having`passages in theirrear walls constructed to register with any of theports in the center-bar.

8. ln a device of the class described, a motor frame 4conoprising acenter-bar having a plurality of superbo-sed horizontal airchannels andlateral ports therefor in its 'front and rear laces, and bellows having;elongated Slots in their rear walls constructed to register with any oi"the ports in the center-bar. l

b 9. ln a device 'of the class described, a motor traine having achanneled center-bar provided with vfront and rear ports, front thevalve to regis-` ria-asas and rear sets of bellows arranged on thel barin Opposite pairs in coinn'iunication with the liront and rear portsrespectively, a crank-shaft mounted in the Llira-ine and having itscranks oset at equal angles between the pairs of bellows, and push-linksconn ectingg,` each crank with a pair or" bellows.

10. ln a device of the class described, a motor traine having achanneled centerbar provided. with liront and rear ports, bellowsarranged on the bar in opposite pairs, in communication with the frontand rear ports respectively, a crank-shaft inounted in the traine andhaving its cranks arranged between the pairs of bellows, and open-endlinks connecting each crank with its bellows.

l'. ln a device of the class described, a inotor i'raine having achanneled centerbar provided with front and rear ports, bellows arrangedon the bar in opposite pairs in communication with the iront and rearports respectively, a crank-shalt mounted the frame and having `itscranks arranged between the pairs of bellows, openend links connectingeach crank with its bellows, a retractile spring connecting; the movablewalls oiE each pair of bellows.

ln testimony whereof we a'tx our signatures. c y' VIALTER W. WESER.GUSTAF A. FORSBEBG.

